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Corporal Punishment

Topic Overview

Corporal punishment is the intentional use of physical force to cause
bodily pain or discomfort as a penalty for unacceptable behavior. Corporal
punishment includes any action that produces discomfort, such as:

Corporal punishment is not an effective method of managing behavior. It does not teach a child how to act properly. At
best, corporal punishment has only a temporary effect on behavior. And it may
even make it worse. Not only does it reinforce some problem behavior, but also it
teaches a child that physical force is the way to resolve conflict.

Corporal punishment can also have emotional and psychological
effects, both short- and long-term, such as:

Research has shown that positive reinforcement is more effective than corporal punishment. Catch your child doing
something right and praise him or her. Don't wait until your child has done
something wrong to notice his or her behavior.

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